Combined mirror and instrument



@C 2y 1934@ W LA HO'DNY l?? COMBINED MIRROR AND INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 18, 1929 3 Sheecs-Shee'* l El@ i@ y@ @Q56 Oct. 2, 1934. W. LA HOBNY COMBINED MIRROR AND INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 18, 1929 SSheets-Sheet 2 @9ct 2, i934., W. LA HODNY Y L975277 COMBINED MIRROR' AND INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 1s, 1929 s sheets-sheet 5 v S14/vanto@ Patented Oct. 2, 1934 'UNITED STATES PATENT Fries Standard Mirror Company, `Inc.,

a corporation of New York B11-Halo, N. Y.,

Application November 18, 1929, Serial No. 468,095

21 Claims.

This invention relates to va combined mirror and instrument and is shown as embodied in a rear View mirror having associated therewith a watch or clock although any instrument can be 5 substituted for the watch orv clock such as a barometer, a compass, a thermometer, an oil viscosity gage, or any other kind of instrument to which frequent reference is made. The invention is also applicable to wall mirrors, 'bath- .roo-1n cabinet mirrors or anywhere else where it may be desirable to have a watch, clock or other instrument as well as the mirror.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a single mirror having a watch or .clock associated therewith, the face of the watch or clock being directly visible through a transparency or transparent opening provided in the mirror by removing or by eliminating the reflective coating on a portion of the mirror so that the mirror plate 'itself forms a crystal for the watch or clock. By this meansvthe combined mirror and watch or clock are in their most compact form, the assemby is attractive in appearance, the face of the watch or clock is clearly visible and the rear view mirror possesses its complete strength so that it is not liable to break or crack as would be the case if an opening of the size required were provided in the glass plate. By forming the mirror so as to also form the crystal for a watch or clock, the danger of dust and dirt filtering through to the movement is reduced.

Another object is to provide a combined rear View mirror and watch or clock in which the crystal for the watch or clock is formed by the glass plate of the mirror and in which that portion of the glass mirror plate forming the crystal is ground so as to provide a plano-concave lens for the crystal. By this means the entire plate can be silvered and by grinding a concave recess on its coated side, a plano-concave crystal is provided for the watch and renders the face more visible and at the same time the refiective coating is removed to provide a transparent opening in the mirror. It is obvious, however, that the plano-concave crystal need not necessarily be made this way and the recess to provide a planoconcave crystal can be ground first and the deposit of the reflective backing prevented in the concave recess by any one of a number of well known methods.

A further object is to provide suitable recesses or grooves in the rear side of the mirror plate, which recesses or grooves are adapted to receive corresponding projecting portions of the Watch co1. i5-97) case, these `grooves or/recessesv preventing the clock case' from being moved out of position.

kAnother aim is to provide a simple and reliable clip which secures the instrument directly to the rear view mirror.

A still further object is to provide such a device in which an island or disk of reflective ycoating can be left .at vthe center' of the crystal so that substantially the entire surface of the'glass plate is available for use `as a mirror, the lonly transparency being that necessary to see the figures of the dial and the ends of the hands.

Another. purpose is to provide such an assembly in which the watch or clock can be of any suitable size.

Other purposes are to'provide a combined rear View mirror and instrument which is inexpensive to form and assemble, which is neat and attractive in` appearance, which, particularly when viewed from thel rear side of the same, presents no unsightly mechanical devices, and in which the instrument is readily accessible for resetting, rewinding or the like.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevationof a combined rear View mirror and watch embodying one form of my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical section, taken on line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical section, taken on line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section, taken on line 5 5, Fig. 4.

Figurer 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of the modified form of the invention, showing the invention applied to a square faced clock having a square face and a square opening or transparency provided in the mirror.

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken on line 7 7, Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig, 6 showing another modified form of the invention.

Figure 9 is a vertical section, taken on line 9 9, Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is a horizontal section, taken on line 10 10, Fig. 8.

Figure 11 is a View similar to Fig. 4, showing a Washer or gasket between the clock case and the mirror plate.

Figure 12 is a View similar to Fig. l showing a further modification of theinvention in which the clock face is substantially as Wide as the mirror and is enclosedby a frame without having holes drilled through the glass plate for this purpose.

Figures 13-15 are sections taken on the correspondingly numbered lines of Fig. 12.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary rear elevation of a further modiiied form of the invention.

Figure 17 is a vertical section taken on line 17-17, Fig. 16.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

It has been heretofore proposed to make combined rear view mirrors and instruments of this general character by cutting an opening through the mirror plate and by mounting in the rear of this opening a watch or clock having a complete watch case, movement and crystal. Cutting of so large an opening in the mirror made the mirror extremely weak so that it would crack under tem-v perature changes and this form is entirely impracticable for service in an automobile. The

present invention proposes to eliminate this diff.

iiculty by not cutting an opening through the glass plate of the mirror but by simply not applying or removing a portion of the silvering or reiiective coating so that the glass plate in addition to forming a rear view mirror also forms a crystal for the watch or clock, the case and its contained movement being supported directly behind the transparency formed by removing the coating. Itis to be understood, however, that the invention is not only applicable to rear vision mirrors but can also be applied to wall mirrors, cabinet mirrors and the like.

In its general organization this invention proposes the combination of a mirror composed of a plate of glass or the like and having a reflective coating thereon in which a transparency or transparent opening is provided by removing or not applying a portion of the reflective coating and mounting and supporting an instrument from the mirror so that its face is visible through the transparency. This mounting of the instrument upon the mirror plate can be effected in a number or" ways as by slipping the watch case and its contained movement over the uncoated end of the mirror, as shown in Fig. 12 or as shown in Figure 1 by providing a recess or a marginal groove in the rear side of said mirror adjacent said opening, tting an instrument case and its contained' instrument in said recess or groove and securing the case by a spring clip having its ends formed to engage recessed parts of the margin of the mirror plates and its central part arranged in a transverse recess in the instrument case to insure the rm mounting of the watch, a screw can be mounted in said clip and forced against the back of the instrument case upon being turned. An island or disk of coating can also be left at the center of the instrument crystal whereby only the figures andy ends of the hands of the instrument are visible, the balance oi the mirror being reflective so that only a small portion of the reilective surface of the mirror is broken.

The rear view mirror can be of any suitable construction and is shown as comprising a glass plate 15 which is beveled at its margin and is provided on its rear side with a reflective coating 16. Any other transparent material can be used in place of the glass and the reflective coating can be of the usual silver or can be of a material which absorbs a part of the light reflected into the same, such light absorbing reflective coatings providing what is commonly known as a nonglare rear view mirror.

' This mirror can be mounted in any well-known and approved form, this mounting forming no part of the present invention. As shown the mirror is supported by a bracket 17 having holes 18 by means of which the bracket is secured to the usual head bar of an automobile. This bracket is formed to provide a depending arm, from the lower end of which a stem 19 projects forwardly. This stem is formed to provide a ball 20. The mirror is shown as held by an upper plate 21 and a lower plate 22, these plates overlapping and the lower plate being formed to provide ngers 23 which engage the lower beveled edge of the mirror while the upper plate 21 is formed to pro vide similar ngers 24 which engage the upper beveled edge of the mirror. The lower plate 22 is formed to provide a rearwardly projecting arm 25 which ts around the lower part of the ball 20 and the upper plate 2l is formed to provide a sfmilar inwardly projecting arm 26 which fits around the upper part of the ball 20. These arms are drawn together by a plurality of screws 27 so that at the same time the two plates 21 and 22 are drawn together to clamp the mirror plate therebetween, the arms 25, 26 are compressed upon the ball 20 so that a rm, frictional ball and socket joint is provided for supporting the mirror plate l5 from the bracket 17.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-5, the `mirror plate l5 is rst coated over its entire rear face with a lm of reiiective material 16. If the watch or clock to be used has a circular face a circular transparency, transparent opening, or crystal 28 is then provided in the mirror by removing a circular disk of the reective coating 16 on the back of the mirror plate. This can either be done by scraping off the reflective material as indicated by full lines in Fig. 4, or this can be done by grinding a concave circular recess 29 in the rear side of the mirror as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, or by full lines in Fig. 5. Around this opening or transparency 28 an annular groove 30 is then ground into the rear face of the mirror. It is also apparent that with either the flat form of crystal shown in Figs. 4 and 9 or with the plano-concave form of crystal shown in Figs. 5 and 'l' that the provision of the crystal can be effected during the silvering process by preventing a deposit upon the portion to form the crystal. This can be effected in a number of well known ways as by coating the part of the glass which forms the crystal with a substance upon which the reflective coating will not deposit.

The watch or clock casing 31 is open on its front side and its back 32 is provided with a trans verse recess 33 for a purpose which will presently appear. In this case 31 is mounted the usual dial 34, hands 35 and watch or clock movement (not shown) this movement being rewound or reset in any suitable manner as by the provision of a finger piece 36. The clock or watch casing is then arranged in. rear of the transparency or lroe iis

rac

of this clip lying in the recess 33 formed on the rear side of the instrument case 31. The ends 38 of this clip are formed to provide ngers which engage the upper and lower edges of the mirror plate l5. If desired, notches or grooves 39 can be provided in the margin of the mirror plate 13 to receive these iingers 38, as best shown in Figs. 6 and 8. The clip 37 is preferably made of spring metal so that it tends yieldingly to hold the instrument case 31 in its groove 30 and if desired a screw 40 can be provided, the stem of this screw lio extending through the back 0f the clip 37 and bearing against the rear wall of the instrument case 31, as best shown in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the invention is shown as applied to a square faced watch or` clock. In this case the marginal grooves 30 which surround the square transparent opening or crystal 28 are formed to provide a square groove and the instrument case 31 is similarly formed so as to fit into this square groove. The instrument case 31 is shown held in position by the spring clip 37 Without the auxiliary screw 40'.` In this form of the invention theconcave recess 29 can also be formed so as to provide a plano-ooncavecrystal for the watch, this plano-concave crystal rendering the face of the watch considerablyy more visible than when it is not provided.

Figs. 8-10'show a modification, ini which modification instead of the marginal groove 86 two depressions 41 are ground in the'rear face of the mirror on opposite sides of and just outsideof the transparent opening 28 which is formed by not applying or by'removing the reilective coating. In this form the watch casing 3l is formed to provide a laterally extending flange 42 and'this flange is formed to providea pair of diametrically opposite tits 43 which are receivedin the recesses 4l. It will' be apparent that these recesses 4l and tits 43 prevent the clock or Watch case from being'moved out of position in the same manner as the groove 30 inthe preferred construction.

In Figs. 8 and 9 is also illustrated a form in which the removal of the rellective coating 16 is reduced to a minimum so that the provision of the crystal and watch or clock in the glass. has less effect in impairing the use of the rear vision mirror. In this case when the reflective coating is removed to provide the crystal an island 44 of reective coating is left in the center of the crystal 28. By this means the crystal 28 is in the form of an annular ring shaped transparency through which only the figures and ends of the hands or" the watch or Vclock are visible, although this opening can be square, of course, as with the square form of watch or clock shown in Figs. 6 and 7, or any other desired shape. The reflective island 44 in the center of the crystal is in the same plane as the reflective coating of the mirror proper so that this island adds to the efficiency of the mirror as a reflector and minimizes provision of a watch or clock.

the loss due` to the If desired a rubber washer or gasket 45 can be placed in the groove 30 before the watch, or clock case 3ll is inserted therein. This construction is shown in Fig. 11 and serves to completely prevent any dust from entering the watch case 31 and injuring the movement. It is also apparent that in this Yconstruction the groove BOcan be eliminatedthe rubber gasket 45 being placed directly against the rear side of the mirror plate and heldin place by the pressure of the watch case. With this form also a dust tight A.seal is provided between the watch case and the mirror plate.

In Figs. 12-15 another form Aof the invention is illustrated which permits of the use of a large size clock or watch, thefull width of the mirror plate being available for the crystal of the watch or clock instead of using only a part as in the other forms shown. In this form the rear View mirror is mounted in any suitable manner and either one end is left uncoated so as to form -the crystal, or vafter the'coating of the Whole plate a transverse groove 5l is ground in the coated back of the mirror from one side thereof to the other and the coating on the side 50 of this groove is scraped oii or otherwise removed. The mirror is also provided with suitable notches or recesses 52 at the corners of the crystal 50 for a purpose which will presently appear. Over this end 50 is slipped the Watch casing 53. This case includes a plate 54 which lits against the rear face of the plate 15, a rearwardly extended part 55 which forms the housing for the watch or clock movement, and a rim 56 which projects forwardly from the upper and lower ends and edges of the plate 54, and is'formed integral therewith and is formed to provide the upper, lower and end bars 57, 58 and 59 of a bezel. The inner ends of the upper and lower bars 57 and 58 forming part of the bezel are connected by a fourth bezel bar 60, the complete bezel formi-ng an opening 61 through which the face 34 of the watch or clock is observed. With this construction, it is apparent that a complete Watch case and bezel is provided which has an opening, indicated at 63, in one side, this opening being just large enough to receive the end 50 oi the mirror, so that the watch case and its contained movement can be slipped over the end 50 of the mirror, the mirror entering the opening 63 and passing between the bezel and the rear plate 54.

In practice the glass used for mirrors varies somewhat in thickness and it is therefore necessary to have compensating means for these variations. For this purpose hat leaf springs 64 are mounted in each of the bezel bars 57, 58and 59, these springs being each secured at its center to the bezel bar in any suitable manner and its ends bearing against the outer face of the glass plate 15 as best shown in Fig. 15.

In order to hold the clock case upon the mirror, bolts 65 are provided at each corner of the j* clock case, these bolts being preferably provided with ornamental heads 66 bearing against the front side of the bezel and the shankof each bolt extending through the bezel, the corresponding notch 52 inthe glass plate 15 and the rear plate 54 of the watch case. By this means after the watch case has been slipped over the end 56 of the 'mirror and the bolts passed through the watch case and the notches 52 in the glass plate, the watch case is reliably held upon the mirror plate.

`In Figs. 16 and 17 is illustrated a modified form of clip for holding the form of watch case shown in Figs. 1-11 in position, this form of clip avoiding the diagonal arms such as are shown in Fig. 4. In this form the watch case 31a. is provided with the ange 42 and tits 43 which are tted into recesses 41 as described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9. The clip 68, however,

is formed to provide an annular part 69 which i fits around the Watch case and bears against the rear side of the flange 42, and arms 70 which eX- tend upwardly and downwardly from the annular part and lie flat against the rear side of the mirror. The outer ends of each of these arms 70 is formed to providea finger 71 which engages the corresponding margin of the mirror plate, and at the juncture of each of the arms 70 and the annular part 69, a screw 72 is provided which is arranged to engage the flange 42 of the clock or watch case and hold the same in position. It is apparent that this form of clip reliably secures thewatch case in position and at the same time avoids the diagonal arms shown in the first form;

All of the several forms of this invention provide a compact, attractive, and inexpensive combined mirror and an instrument such as a watch or clock in which no openings are cut through the mirror plate itself, the mirror plate being formed also to provide the crystal for the watch or clock, thereby eliminating the necessity of cutting an opening for this purpose. The watch or clock is also iirmly and reliably held in position directly from the mirror plate and is readily removable should the movement require any adjustment or repairs. The entire assembly is also strong and durable and when used as a rear vision mirror will not get out of order under the severe and constant vibration to which accessories lof this type are subjected.

I claim as my invention:

1. A supporting structure for supporting an instrument case from a transparent panel which consists of clip means removably connected to said case and extending outwardly from diametrically opposite sides of said instrument case and also engaging the adjacent opposite margins of said panel, and screw means cooperating with said clip means and said instrument case to draw said instrument case into rm engagement with said panel.

2. Means for mounting a clock behind a rear view mirror having a transparent portion cornprising a ring surrounding said transparent portion and forming a depression in the mirror, and a casing surrounding said clock and projecting into said ring depression to protect the clock mechanism against moisture and dust.

3. As an article of manufacture a clock support including a glass panel having a transparent portion through which the face of said clock is visible, a ring surrounding said transparent portion and forming a depression in the panel, and a casing surrounding said clock and projecting into said ring depression to protect the clock mechanism against moisture and dust, means secured to said casing and projecting over the edge of said panel to hold the clock to said panel.

4. As an article of manufacture, a one piece glass panel having a depression in the rear face thereof, an open faced clock mounted in said depression, said glass panel acting as the crystal for said clock, clamp means cooperating with the edge of said panel adjacent said clock and screw means cooperating with said clamp to bow said clamps and draw said clock into the depression in said panel.

5. The combination of a glass member, a clock secured thereto, said glass member having a transparent opening therein, said clock being centered in said opening, said glass member acting as the crystal for said clock, a plurality of clamps cooperating with the edge of said glass member and projecting into said clock and adjustable means cooperating with said clamps and adapted to draw said clock casing into substantial hermetic sealing with said glass member.

6. The combination of a support, a clock secured thereto, said support having a transparent opening therein, said clock being centered in said opening, said support acting as the crystal for said clock, clamp means cooperating with the edge of said support and projecting into said clock and an adjustable device cooperating with said clamp means and adapted to! draw said clock casing into substantial hermetic sealing with said support, said opening being substantially concave and having a lens effect.

7. In a rear view mirror and clock assembly of the character described, means to secure an instrument case to said mirror, said mirror having an opening in the rear thereof, said case arranged in the rear of said opening and having its rim engaging the rear side of said mirror, said means for securing said case to said mirror including a clip removably engaging the case and the adjacent margin of said mirror, screw means interposed between the clip and the adjacent part olf said case and adjusting the tension of said c 1p.

8. A combination with a transparent panel having an indentation in one face, of an instrument case having a projection extending into said indentation to prevent movement of said instrument case along said panel and means for holding said instrument case against said panel and said projection in said indentation.

9. A combination with a transparent panel having a recess in one face, of an instrument case having a projecting rim extending into said recess, and means for holding said instrument case against said panel and its rim in said recess.

10. Means for mounting an instrument case behind a transparent panel, comprising an instrument case arranged in rear of said panel and having its rim engaging the rear side of said panel, means for connectingy opposite sides of said case to opposite margins of said panel at least one of which last named means includes a clip removably engaging the corresponding side of said case and the adjacent margin of said panel, and screw means interposed between said clip and the adjacent part of said case and adjusting the tension of said clip, whereby an instrument arranged in said instrument case is visible through said panel.

l1. A supporting structure for supporting an instrument case from a transparent panel which consists of flexible clip means connected to opposite sides of said instrument case and extending diametrically outward therefrom and also engaging around the adjacent opposite margins of said panel, said clip means being diagonally disposed with respect to the plane of the panel and being under tension to draw said instrument case into firm engagement with said panel.

12. A supporting structure for supporting an instrument c ase from a transparent panel which consists of flexible clip means connected to opposite sides of said instrument case and extending diametrically outward therefrom and also engaging around the adjacent opposite margins of said panel, and adjustable means cooperating with said clip means for placing said iiexible clip means under tension to draw said instrument case into rm engagement with said panel.

13. A supporting structure for supporting an instrument case from a transparent panel comprising a flexible strap embracing said instrument case and having its opposite ends engaging the adjacent opposite margins of said panel, the ends of said strap being under tension to draw said instrument case into iirm engagement with said panel.

14. A supporting structure for supporting an instrument case from a transparent panel, comprising a exible strap embracing said instrument case and having its ends engaging the opposite margins of said panel, and adjustable means cooperating with said strap for placing said strap under tension to draw said instrument case into rm engagement with said panel.

15. A supporting structure for supporting an instrument case from a transparent panel, comprising a flexible strap extending across the rear side of said instrument case .and having its ends projecting diagonally forward to engage the adjacent opposite margins of said panel, the ends of said strap being under tension to draw said instrument oase into rm engagement with said panel.

16. A supporting structure for supporting an instrument case from a transparent panel, said instrument case having a depression in its rear side Which comprises a ilexible strap extending across the rear side of said instrument case and having a part arranged in said depression, said strap having its opposite ends engaging the opposite margins of said panel, the ends of said strap being under tension to draw said instrument case into firm engagement with said panel.

17. A supporting kstructure for supporting an instrument case from a transparent panel comprising a flexible strap extending across said inment mounting having a projection extending into said indentation to prevent movement of said instrument mounting along said panel and means for holding said instrument mounting against said panel and said projection in said indentation.

19. Means for supporting an instrument behind a transparent panel, comprising an annular ring shaped depression in the rear face of said panel, and a casing surrounding said instrument and projecting into said depression toi completely seal said instrument against moisture and dust.

20. Means for mounting a dial instrument behind a panel comprising a transparent concavity in said panel, said concavity being substantially the size of the instrument dial, and detachable securing means for retaining the instrument in registration with said concavty.

2l. Means for mounting a dial instrument behind a panel comprising a transparent concavity in said panel, said concavity being substantially the size of the instrument dial, and a casing adapted to enclose the instrument and provided With gripping ngers embracing the edges of the panel to mount the casing in position on the panel with the instrument held rmly with its dial in registration with the concavity.

WILLIAM LA HODNY. 

